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Stimming is what jellybeans do when they're anxious, frightened, irritable, stressed, panicky, upset, bewildered and frustrated. They even do it when they're excited. It's the sudden adrenaline rush playing havoc with your jellybean fingers, toes, hands and feet.

If you've heard of stimming before then give yourself a pat on the back, especially if you understand it. It's just another word for self-stimulation, fidgeting in other words, and fidgeting in ways that are repetitive, often involuntary, and habitual. Often they're quite noticeable.Everyone stims, both jellybeans and marshmallows. Some people used to call these fidgety movements "nervous habits". But jellybeans do them far more often and clearly and obsessionally than marshmallows.

Sometimes, of course, these stims, which are essentially comforting, can be tics and could be an expression of Tourette's, so bear that in mind. Let's look at some different stims under different headings, it may make it easier and show you what to look for.

HAND STIMS

Hold on to your hankies, because this is a big one.

a. Finger picking, finger drumming

b. Nail biting/Thumb sucking

c. Hand to face contact constantly/stroking/scratching

d. Scab and skin picking

e. Smoothing hair and hair tugging

f. Pulling at clothes, murdering a cotton hankie or tissue

g. Playing with a pencil, constantly, or any other object

Okay so just about everything to do with the hands, even smelling fingers. ANYTHING REPEATED REGULARLY is a stim.

MOUTH STIMS

a. Gritting or grinding of teeth

b. Clenched jaw

c. Sucking anything!

d. Lip biting

e. Pouting constantly and obviously

f. Chewing

g. Sticking tongue out

h. Puckering the mouth up, maybe to one side

WHOLE BODY STIMS

a. Arm flapping from the wrist or elbow

b. Leg waggling

c. Foot Tapping

d. Over excited rapid, pronounced clapping and jumping up and down

e. Leg jerking

f. Body scratching

g. Eye blinking or flicking the eyes to make them "dance"

h. Head-banging, with their hand or against the wall or floor

VOCAL STIMS

a. Swearing

b. Non-swearing repeated words sometimes said or sung loudly

c. Humming and throat clearing

d. Sniffing through the nose, noisily

e. Involuntary child-like noises - squealing

BEHAVIOURAL STIMS

Repetitive and apparently unnecessary behaviour. Observe your jellybeans, there are so many behaviours that are stims and they are so personal to the owner that you may have to look carefully. Here are just a few to give you an idea of what I mean and what we do.

a. Rocking in bed

b. Eating the bed (my eldest son ate his wooden bunk bed over the course of a year!)